Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 333 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

\ a AE A PP OO ES PE GL LOND I OOS LLY A HALE AEE ‘h \) — oe ‘ ef pee - - - ~~ — me -e - ‘by one’s hands until he reaches them. 12 Mr. Jawler remained quiet; but Bright had not the patience to once more wait for the un- certain moment when he might return to con- sciousness. Time was too precious. He caught Ananias by the shoulder and waistband, un- ceremoniously dragging him away, Then he stooped down to investigate. In a huge bowlder, that was flush with the ground from the side of their approach, there was a narrow rift. How deep it extended was not apparent; but, beginning to believe that Ananias was by no means the colossal liar he had at first thought him, Derringer Deck guess- ed pretty closely what was to be found at the bottom, though a glance showed that there was nothing to be seen from there, The bowlder, however, jutted out into noth- ingness, since it hung over the brink of a preci- ice. Leaving Ananias senseless where he had ung him, Deck stepped forward and looked over, He drew back reflecting: ‘Lucky for him that he wanted to take the shortest cut. If he’d made about three steps more he’d have gone over head-first, and been ees as a pancake. Jf there’s anything in this and if there’s any way to get it out, the rea shortest cut is somewhere from below up. Be- gins to look to me as though Id found some- thing more than a mare’s nest; and mighty lucky that I struck the festive Jawler when did, Let me see,” The canyon below was more like a gash than anything else. At twenty yards’ distance it would have escaped observation altogether, and certainly under few other circumstances would risa. as ave though of exploring its narrow depths. Without even a rope to aid him, it seemed as though he had no slight or safe task, for as far as he could see on either hand the barranca’s sides were as clean-cut as at the spot where he stood, Nevertheless, as he bent over he saw a dan- gerous chance that he promptly decided to take. From a point in the side wall, that seemed to be about twenty feet below him, a small tree jutted out, and then upward. If there was a recess under the bowlder, he had no doubt but that it was not far from that spot; and he be- lieved that if he was willing to run the risks, and could keep his head cool, he might manage to reach the trunk of this tree from above. To get back promised to be more difficult; but that part he refused to consider. He gave a glance at Ananias, mechanically touched his weapons, and then, with a rash daring, set out upon his dangerous journey. The edge of the rock was erty defined, and though it sloped a little outward that circum- stance was somewhat in his favor. Even the alight support thus given him was something. wiftly yet with care he lowered himself un- til he was hanging by one hand, and then he unclasped his fingers and dropped. The ger miscalculation might have been fatal; but he made none. As he touched the tree his leg curled around it, there was a little ar, and his downward progress was arres- “The first trick made,” he said, lightly; “now, if I’ve got off my eg there'll be more fun than pleasure in the rest of the game. Unless that eieiieunaiic up there comes to his senses and has brain enough to help me out I may have to scramble down—for I'll swear I can’t get up. And it’s about five thousand miles to e bottom, with no knowing what sort of a lan place there is. No, I thank you, I don’t just prefer going that way. Let’s see what the chances are. Business first and pleas- ure afterward.” He had hesitated a little with that natural indisposition to know the worst, but he did so no longer. The man that could look down from that perch without having his head swim, ‘was bold enough for almost anything. But the first glance gave him a welcome sense of relief since it showed him that that far at least he had not been mistaken in his calcula- tions. There was the ledge, as he hade ted it, and the opening extending into the rock, and rhaps widening into the cave; while up from e very center of it he could trace the cleft up- on which Ananias had fallen senseless. ‘‘ There she is; but how to reach it, that’s the yale a copperheads an’ coal ile, yes,’ as our riend William Bender of Black Dam would re- mark, Let me see. There’s a convenient cleft or two in the rock, and a chance to shift eons en - there are no slips—and this is a case where slips couldn’t Fo over—it’s possible to climb up to the ledge. After I get there [ll be ready for a rest; and here goes. | While soliloquizing he had been viewing sharply the proposed path, and now he swung himself off off. Little need to tell how he changed the face of the rock, gradually working his way toward the spot where the last supreme effort was to be made. He did it, and finally drew himself up on the ledge, which proved to be three or four feet higher up than he had thought. For a moment he could see nothing, for his ex- ertions and suspense brought on a correspond- ingly severe reaction. onquering the weak- Derringer Deck, the Man With the Drop. ness, he raised himself on his hands and knees, and stared anxiously into the little cave. He could hardly repress a shout of triumph. He had gone into the chase for Sammy Jawler in very serious earnest; and here, without much chance for doubt, he had found him. Well back from the opening he saw the form of a man, lying motionless. If it was the younger Jawler, he was ina very bad plight, as an immediate investigation show- ed. Mis face had a pinched, dead look, and round and round his arms and legs was wrapped a lariat, that would most certainly have re- strained him from motion had he been able to make it. His face was cold to the touch, and for an instant Bright was afraid that he was dead His first movement was to undo the rope. Whether the man died or not the cord was the one thing Derringer Deck wanted, and there were certain limits to his reckless philanthropy. His strong fingers worked rapidly, and in an unexpectedly short time the last knot was un- done.. The reason was simple enough. Though made to hold, they were the work of a sailor’s hand. So Derringer Deck reasoned at least, and he was not one to be very far away. ‘Blessings crowd thick and fast,” exclaimed Bright, as he shook the flask that he had rescued from Ananias a short time before. ‘‘ Tf I hadn’t clapped the brakes on the fellow that didn’t need it, there would have been none left for the fellow who did—which is a strong argument against the reckless use of fire-water., Now comes the crucial test. If a dozen drops of the elixir don’t bring him around, he’s a gone Jawler.” Carefully he moistened the lips of the insensi- ble man, al'owing a few drops to slowly trickle down his throat, and then watching anxiously for the result. It was not long in coming, “ Alive, by mighty!” exclaimed Bright; and like a faint, ‘way-off echo he heard above the voice of Ananias: * ot around, Sammy! Where the blazes are you ‘‘Good enough! I’ve learned a lesson. Pour the fluid extract of corn into Sammy, and it does double duty. The same dose that would tune him up would reach the other twin and make him blind drunk. Poor fellow, he’s not out of danger yet by a long sight. I shouldn’t wonder if he was starving.” A little bit excited by the cars Seep resurrec- tion, Dick Bright let off his enthusiasm in this way, and then set himself seriously to mastering the situation. First, he called to the rampin Ananias, and in a very few words convin him that his brother was there and alive. Then he explained his intentions and after a cast or two threw the one end of the lariat into Jawler’s hands, knotting the other end under Sammy’s shoulders, ‘Hold tight up there, ’m coming!” he ex- claimed, and at an answering signal he sprun up the rope rapidly, mounting hand over han with practiced skill. Once more Bright stood on the face of the bowlder, and choking off present questions, gave the signal to haul ag In another minute y Jawler lay in his brother’s arms, ‘*Go slow, little infant. He’s not as strong as a three days’ old baby, and if you put too much strength in those hugs you'll shut off his wind altogether. You re Pigg linen and quietly dance around a little while I finish up the job, Lucky I’ve got a few hard-tack in my et et, and there’s still some more whisky in the jar. If he’s not too bad hurt you can have the con- tract of toting him all the way to Brad Awl. And he don’t look as though he would make you much of a job. There’s not much of him.” ‘** All brains, every durned bit ov him brains. Oh, he’s a-comin’—he’s right hyer, now!” en- thusiastically shouted Jawler, as he danced around. ‘‘ He ain’t much ter look at; but we two make sech a team! An’, stranger, you ain’t no slouch. Ef ther Jawler twins don’t make it solid fur Nong it, call me a double-headed liar. Jest see the baby grin. Oh, Sammy, I’m tick- led ter death. I thort Id lost yer.” Tt was a fact that Ananias had almost all the bone and muscle, for he would have tipped the scale at double the weight that his brother could have raised. And it was not alone in size that there was such a radical difference in appearance. The one was rude, unkempt, uncouth; the other had a delicate, almost an effeminate face, and the little hands that Derringer Deck was slowly chafing between his own were soft, white and well kept. Under Bright’s ministrations he opened his eyes and smiled. ‘* Now, then,” said the young rt, briskly, ‘“what’s the matter with you ? eé sooner we know, the sooner we can set about bracing you Pp. . “ Starved!” responded Sammy, in a husky wien ‘‘ Blamed if I didn’t think it. A little brandy and cracker will help that, and then we'll allow this Hercules to tote you into Brad Awl. Rest and good chuck will make you all right by morning. No bullet-holes, I suppose, or anything that way?” ‘* None that I know of. A bruise on my head; but that’s nothing. A little: more brandy, i you please. Im stronger already. ere Ananias. Shake, old man. I knew I could bring you if you weren’t drunk as a b’iled owl. They can’t keep the talented twins apart as long as one has legs and the other brains. Ill be ready to move pretty soon; and to-morrow we'll - go on the war-path.” He was holding the hand of the giant as he . ceased ing, and there was such a look of satisfaction in his eyes that Deck Bright warmed. to him even more than one naturally does toward aman he has just saved. | 3 ‘‘Oh, yes; you'll be all right now, without a doubt, though it was ten chances to one against you if they really put you there for keeps. I don’t want to be obtrusive, but, if it’s not too much to ask, who did do it? He must have had more of the devil in him than most men, for he never could have guessed, what I that saw it can scarcely bring myself to believe. A tap on the head, or a bullet in the heart, would have been more merciful.” An ugly gleam came into Jawler’s eye as he looked up. : ‘Colonel Coldsteel put me there; and he is a man without mercy.” CHAPTER XIV. A MAN THAT LOOKED BOTH WAYS. THe announcement of the younger Jawler was no great surprise to Derringer Deck. The whole thing looked like the work of the redoubt- able road-agent; though why should he have taken so much trouble when a toss off of the brink of the canyon would have been more cer- tain, and a great deal more speedy? “Colonel Coldsteel, eh? He seems to be up to about all the devilment that is going on around here. Some day he will buck too far over the limit and Brad Awl will rally all hands for a re drive. If it wasn’t for the fellow-feeling; think they would have done it before this. How did he come to fall into his hands? Looks: as though it must have been something more than an ordinary case. Did you drop a few of them, or didn’t their find pan out as well as they expected Y It’s too long to tell you now, my friend; though, if you care to hear the story, you shall when I get a little stronger. Perhaps 1 down a couple—I had a chance for a snap-shot, and I struck out once as they closed in—but it wasn’t that. I’m the one man here that knows Colonel Coldstee! from boyhood up—the one man he has harmed beyond recompense. Both of us cannot live, and he knows it. For me to die, knowing that he was above ground, would be a torture in the death worse than saint or Satan could conceive. He knows that, and he took care, as he supposed, to leave me where I could have plenty of time to revel init. I’m a quiet, pious sort of a fellow, inca, 2 easy for evil, and all that so I’m going to give him another chance, Don’t; 100K like it—curse him!” Derringer Deck looked down into the white face, and felt a little dubious about his answer.. He had seen bad men enough in his time, yet: this man, just rescued, as it were, from the: ave, had, for an instant, the worst gleam he ever seen in mortal eye. ‘“You don’t answer. Good enough. You won't tell me I lie, though you know it; but you: might say I was making myself sick on wind. without being so far wrong. I said all that and: more a year ago, yet he had me on the hip to- day, and may again. Now, who are you?” e abrupt question startled Bri ght, for he had been thinking as he listened, and was un- prepared for the quick transition, Yet he an- swered without hesitation: | “Tm a pilgrim at Brad Awl, with a side pard or two that are not showing up to the front— et. If we don’t get away with some of their wealth it will be because my luck has petered., out, and skill is at a discount. As you're a stranger there it is not necessary to say anything more about it, though I'll give yeu a hint if I see we're both going or the same game, and if it don’t happen to big vie for two mouth-- fuls. In Brad Awl—and a good deal of elsewhere —I’m known as Deck Bright; and some of ’em have cutit short to Sv or ind Deck, the Man with the Drop. I should judge that covers the ground thick enough for the present, Some day when we change yarns, I'll pore you the rest.. Of course I don’t want to have any nonsense with Mr. Coldsteel, but luck’s against me. Last night I downed his horse, with the most innocent — intentions in the world; and to-day I’ve met ‘* Ah, last night! You say you fired at him!’ How was that? Never do it again. Heaven is saving him for me.” ‘You may have him—unless I can get a sit- ting shot at him, from behind a tree. I don’t meddle except when I have to. And, say: it strikes me that, as the flask is about empty and the crackers gone, the best thing for us to do would be to try moving. They may come back here to see if the job needs to be done over. Wake the agile Ananias up and Jet us peram-- bulate.” | , COMED OOKS:. a | | | Ic - . . me & P a 5 = * o